Ukrainians should start preparing now for a difficult winter and possible electricity disruptions, Armed Forces of Ukraine Major Yury Fedorenko said, urging households to consider backup power options in advance.

Where possible, residents should install additional batteries in apartment building entrances and purchase generators, he said. Fedorenko noted that such measures may be particularly important in areas where local authorities have not yet been able to provide the equipment because of limited funding and high demand.

He also said Ukraine does not have sufficient financial resources or production capacity to prepare fully for the coming heating season.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Sergey Koretsky previously said the country should base its winter preparations on the most difficult scenario. According to his assessment, Ukraine’s energy sector is €650 million short of the funding required ahead of the heating season.

Former Vladimir Zelensky press secretary Yulia Mendel has also described the country’s energy system as being in a difficult condition. She said the system had become fragmented, while oil refining facilities had been destroyed.

Against that backdrop, Kiev is seeking to bring the conflict to an end before winter arrives. Zelensky has called for more intensive work with foreign partners and additional international political support for the government. At the same time, he acknowledged that there is no way to determine in advance when those efforts will produce results.